Tumbling and massaging are two processing steps that are often overlooked regarding their significance and importance to further processed meat and poultry manufacturing systems. Both are important technologies that, when understood and utilized appropriately, can provide significant benefit to product quality, uniformity, yield – and they can improve the bottom line.
From a simple view, tumbling and massaging vastly improve the production of further-processed meat and poultry products and provide manufacturing opportunities which otherwise would not exist. Used for decades as a means of incorporating/distributing brines or marinades and extracting proteins for texture and bind, these technologies have been widely adopted throughout the meat and poultry industry with immeasurable impacts.
Today, these technologies have been adapted and refined to provide even greater benefit than in years past while offering new approaches to further processing.
Tumbling vs. massaging
Tumbling and massaging have many similarities in their technological approach, yet they are quite different within their core means of function, therefore providing distinctly different outcomes. Both are focused on extraction of protein, brine distribution and pick-up, and they offer textural changes in the product; however, each achieves these end-points in different ways.
Since tumbling is largely used to bind smaller meat pieces for creating reformed or restructured products, it utilizes mechanical action and the inclusion of sodium chloride to solubilize and extract functional myofibrillar proteins at the surface of meat pieces for adhesion and subsequent heat-set coagulation and gel formation.
On the contrary, but following the same extraction concepts, massaging focuses on frictional energy to achieve the extraction of myofibrillar proteins beneath the surface (or within muscles) while attempting to minimize surface protein extraction.
Ingredient considerations
The presence of functional ingredients such as salt or phosphates as well as other factors such as meat temperature, atmospheric conditions inside the massager/tumbler, quality of protein present and equipment design may affect the degree of physical/mechanical action.
If raw materials with lower amounts of functional proteins, such as poultry, are being massages or tumbled, it is necessary to realize that an adjustment must be made to achieve the same level of surface protein extraction as with other higher functional protein-containing raw materials. This is often accomplished by simply increasing the massaging/tumbling time.
Process review
Equipment design and operation drive the massaging and tumbling processes. The core process remains the same, though:
Product is placed in a vessel configured with components to provide energy (mechanical or frictional);
Vacuum is pulled (>28 inches);
Mechanical energy is introduced to the contents inside the vessel with some directly interfacing with the contents, while additional frictional energy is created via equipment operation; and
The extent of total energy that is exposed to the product is dictated by equipment design; speed of the tumbling/massaging action; and duration of the process.
What to use on what?
Massaging historically has been utilized for products and processes in which protein extraction “beneath the surface” is desired. In bone-in-hams, for example, massaging allows for controlled protein extraction of the myofibrillar proteins throughout the product (instead of focusing on extraction at the surface).
During the massaging process, although brine is dispersed uniformly, a low level of protein extraction occurs and accelerates by frictional energy generated from the massaging action (salt interaction with proteins). In turn, a firmer texture (firmer bite) and improved yield is achieved.
Because of the length of this process, tradeoffs have become commonplace to provide acceptable process time/product performance goals. Today, massaging is more commonly found with marination systems, especially those in which muscle structure may be destroyed with more aggressive tumbling process (such as with poultry processes).
Tumbling is still widely used when the goal is to focus on efficient surface protein extraction. Sectioned and formed products such as hams, turkey breast and other whole muscle luncheon meats rely on aggressive, effective and efficient tumbling processes to achieve bind, ingredient distribution, texture and yield goals.
Limitations do exist, as the fastest and most aggressive tumbling process can cause excess protein extraction, which is associated with rubbery/tough textures, as well as insufficient ingredient distribution. As with many processes, time is still an important consideration.
It’s all about the equipment
Technically, although it is very inefficient, any tumbler may be used for massaging purposes. However, technological advancements in equipment provide significant opportunity to attain a high level of quality (color, texture, uniformity) and economic gains (such as higher yields and increased throughput).
Now more than ever, tumbling and massaging are better understood. Building upon the basics of tumbling and massaging while coupled with fundamental meat science principles has allowed for cutting-edge advancements. Here are a few:
Equipment configuration: Baffles historically have been the most common design inside moving drums of different shapes and sizes, as well as operating angles. Today, moving paddles in fixed drums or bodies have shown viable and distinctive advantages for tumbling/massaging processes;
Equipment control development: Speed and time, with some ambient temperature control, have advanced to multi-step programs in which speed, time, angle, rotation direction and product temperature control (through jacketed equipment chilling) have allowed for advancement.
Process development: The goals of the tumbling/massaging process are focused upon and successfully pursued with cutting-edge processes. Many operations have implemented multi-step processes in which “Phase I” provides higher temperatures (~50-55°F; though glycol heating and jacketed equipment walls) to allow for ingredient distribution, delated protein extraction, early-state frictional energy, and accelerated curing (break down of nitrite to nitric oxide is more rapid at higher temperatures). This is followed by “Phase II” in which lower temperatures (~35-38°F; though glycol cooling) allow for more efficient protein extraction.
Sanitary design: Equipment design has improved the "cleanability" and overall ease of sanitation.
Conclusions
Tumbling and massaging technologies have made tremendous advancements, resulting in equipment and processes that are more tailored for the product being produced. As such, it should be remembered the fundamental concepts (what we are trying to achieve and how) should never be forgotten, and these principles should be incorporated continually into daily operations.
Moving forward, tumbling and massaging will continue as a mainstay for meat and poultry processing – but the possibilities of refinement and advancement will certainly direct what the technology looks like in the future.
